A Braille character for reading by the blind normally constitutes at least one embossment in at least one position of a six-position matrix made up of two vertical columns of three positions each and top, middle and bottom horizontal rows of two positions each. Different characters will have different numbers of embossments in various selected ones of the six possible positions in the matrix.
A conventional Braille printer usually comprises a die plate having indentations positioned in accord with the six-position matrix of a Braille character. A Braille medium such as relatively thick paper is positioned beneath this die and on the other side of the Braille medium there are provided six pins also in the six positions of the Braille matrix character. Certain ones of these pins are caused to be raised upon a flat surface in accord with a particular Braille character to be reproduced. When the particular pins have been raised the die plate is brought down pressing or sandwiching the Braille medium between the die plate and the selected pins thereby generating embossments on the Braille medium.
After one Braille character has been printed, the entire embossment mechanism is moved to the next position for the next Braille character and so forth. The medium is then indexed upwardly a distance of one row of Braille characters in the manner of a sheet of paper in a conventional typewriter.
Braille printers of the foregoing type are relatively expensive to produce. The situation is further aggrevated by the fact that there is relatively little demand for a Braille printer or at least, a limited demand. Therefore, it does not become economically feasible to try to mass produce such Braille printers as by utilizing assembly line techniques.